Joseph Rabin was born and raised in a typical Long Island town called Elmont. In addition to being a top honor student, he also became the New York State High School Wrestling Champion in 1980 and won third place in the Junior National Championships.

After he was recruited by Columbia University, Rabin was rated among the best wrestlers in the nation by the end of his sophomore year. With a bright future in wrestling ahead of him, Rabin grappled with questions of identity and culture tied to his Jewish heritage.

Immediately upon receiving his BA, he immigrated to Israel, married, and together with his wife, Kochava, raised nine Jewish children in the Holy Land of Israel.

Today, he runs his own successful real estate business in Jerusalem.